Reviewed by: Erica An, BNutr&Diet
The first thing to remember is that you are human. The 12WBT mission is to set you up for a healthy lifestyle, not a quick diet sprint. In life, there will always be times where you overindulge – and that is 100% OK! The best thing to do is not to panic – even if you hop on the scales and it’s gone up. Today is the day you can turn it around, reset, and get back on track.
Follow these steps and you’ll be on your way to hitting those goals of yours ASAP:
Sleep in
You know what they say, there’s nothing better than a good night sleep. If you’ve been partying a little hard over the holidays, be kind to your body and ensure you get a few extra hours to recharge the batteries and get yourself back on track. If you find you start existing on a sleep deficit, it wont just be the holidays that cause you to put on weight. One sleep study concluded that if we lose just 80 minutes of sleep from the recommended 7-9 hours, we were more likely to consume an extra 550 calories per day.
Be Gut Friendly
If you’ve been consuming lots of sugars, alcohol and salty and starchy foods, it’s time to take care of your stomach with something gentle. Choose a probiotic rich food like yoghurt, along with some prebiotic dense foods like blueberries and dandelion to calm any gut inflammation.
Drink The Good Stuff
Drinking alcohol and eating sodium laden foods can leave you feeling fatigued- and not to mention cause havoc with your looks, leading to bloating and visible ageing. Ensure today that you get your 2 litres of water in – grab a bottle and make that your mission.
Pump Those Endorphins
This is ESPECIALLY important if overindulging has got you feeling the blues hard. I guarantee a solid hour of a cardio workout will have you feeling like you’re back on track. Whether you head to the gym or go for a run, do something to get the blood and sweat flowing, you’ll love yourself for it when you’re done.
If you struggle initially, keep going. Studies have shown that even if you take a week off, you wont lose all your strength and endurance.
Eat Well
Just because you overindulged doesn’t mean that today is the day you start skipping meals or restricting yourself. Skipping meals will leave you feeling hungry and more likely to snack and binge later on. Follow the meals and snacks laid out in your 12WBT meal plan and you’ll get back to having more energy and able to hit your health and fitness goals.
Boost Your Immune System
Shock: Travel and alcohol will affect your immune system, so be sure your plate is filled with lots of fruit, veggies and lean protein rich legumes. Avoid processed food and chose fibre dense foods.
Bye Caffeine
Don’t shoot the messenger, but after a blow out, you may want to consider giving your body a break from coffee and all other stimulants like alcohol. Instead, try rooibos tea, which is caffeine free and will help calm you down, and will help reduce stress hormones that trigger hunger and fat storage.
Selfcare
Now that you’ve taken care of your body internally, think about your beauty routine. A great body exfoliant will leave your skin glowing and help combat cellulite. Finish with an all body moisturiser.
Calm Your Mind
Meditation is a great way to re-centre your mind and reflect on where you want to be. If you haven’t meditated before, check out some of the guided meditation apps available.
Remember, it’s a lifestyle about balance, not a short term sprint. Enjoy your holidays, and then get back in the saddle – you’ve definitely got this!
